Ford guys...need help with 87 Mustang

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Picked up a 5.0 Mustang for my kid. 1987.

The car has high miles for a car of it's origin and vintage, but was handed down in the same family, so it's been fairly well treated. The cat was still using it as his daily driver.

The body kit looks like ass, and I was wondering how hard it is to remove, and what's left after it's gone.

http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/cto/1547920495.html

Also, I'm a Chevy guy...what goes bad on this shit?

The Brakes are kinda soft on it, even though the seller said it's just had a new master cylinder. Thinks it may need more bleeding, but pumping didn't seem to raise the pedal.

Its not god awful, but for my kid, I'd rather the brakes be rather crisp. Replace the rubber lines? What's the deal with these things? Am I just used to Chevy brakes?

Anyone have a line on parts?

Any help appreciated...

[G-Rex]

That body kit is the factory stuff I believe. My best friend just gave his wife a '93 5.0. I'll ask him where he's been getting stuff from for ya.

General Ford stuff = throw a spare starter solenoid in the back and a wrench. These things go out regularly. I keep 2-3 in the trunk of my Galaxie. They are on the inside fender, so they are a 5 minutes ordeal to fix if that much.

As for the brakes, I'll go out on a limb and assume you checked the fluid level already? If it's low enough, it would act much in the same way that you describe.

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It's definitely the factory body kit, but 20+ years hasn't been too kind to the plastic. I'd love to pry all that shit the fuck off, and paint the car, but I was wondering what's left if you remove it.

Are they the stock 'Stang body panels underneath, or special ones with reliefs to fit the plastic that will look like something's missing if I take the shit off? Will I have to mig weld up a shitload of holes? If so, can I instead inexpensively get new plastics anywhere?

I'm guessing that 'Stang parts aren't exactly hard to find, this car is rather ubiquitous...hence my reasoning to get it. It could really use a new hatch, since it has some rust on it. Needs the odd plastic interior part here and there too...nothing I'm sure I can't find at a boneyard.

I'm already having a bit of buyer's remorse for having gotten my kid a muscle car, though...and a Ford, at that. She's already sent a '91 Jeep Cherokee to the crusher by failing to keep the shiny side up in the big snow storm we had...

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...Also, does anyone know if that car is carbed or injected? It has the stiffest fucking throttle return spring I've ever seen on a stock "factory" car.

[BobTheBiker]

why feel bad? the 302 smallblock is a freakin BULLETPROOF engine pretty much. those cars really arent bad designs.

long as you keep the oil changed and grease the greasable stuff, you're good.

[TommyHotWheel]

http://www.foxresto.com/
http://forums.corral.net/forums/
Fuel injection started in 1986, so thats a fuelie. There is a Forum and a Resto supply house that I use should get ya started and answer alot of questions.

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I grew up on V8 American muscle. I was just a bowtie guy. I know this is as simple as a rock, and reasonably beefy. I wish it had a bag in it, for my kid's sake, but it's a reasonably stout car, and no doubt I am thankful I made a similar decision in making her first car a Cherokee. When the rubber side was finally placed in contact with the ground again, the wisdom of my choice became apparent...as while there was nary a straight panel left, the structural integrity of a big American car was probably key in her having nothing but a black eye, and a small cut on her hip from where she crawled out of the wreck to show for it all.

The 'Stang is an internally small but reasonably heavy car...not unlike my '94 'Vette which is nearly as long as a Suburban, but has room for little more than a ham sandwich aside from two passengers...there's a lot of car around you, and this is good.

I live where there's a lot of deer, and trees, and fully loaded massive mack dump trucks rolling past to the quarry at ultra-legal speeds...I would feel irresponsible giving her anything small, new, or Asian...airbags notwithstanding. I'd like to see her in another SUV, but she wanted a car.

I also know the value of being able to keep a car running out of AutoZone, and not the dealer. Old muscle cars are cheap to fix, computer not needed.

I think it'll make a good car for her...

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Originally Posted by TommyHotWheel

http://www.foxresto.com/
http://forums.corral.net/forums/
Fuel injection started in 1986, so thats a fuelie. There is a Forum and a Resto supply house that I use should get ya started and answer alot of questions.

Thanks!

Edit: Geez, that foxresto link has everything. I can see this resto becoming a real nice father/daughter project this spring. I firmly believe if you build a car up yourself, you'll never wreck it.

Anyone here see "Love the Beast"?

[Homeslice]

I'd say after 23 years on ANY car, you should definitely swap the brake lines for some new ones, preferably steel-braided.....

[101lifts2]

Problems are:

1. Burns oil.
2. Starter and/or fender mounted solenoid.
3. AOD transmission isn't all that great.

Those are pretty hard to work on for a small block V8.

How about a Jeep? I mean this is your daughter, right? Chicks like cute little cars like a Smart or something like that. I'd get her a Cavaliar.